Carton closure

ABSTRACT

A carton closure means is provided on a carton to allow easy, positive opening and closing of the carton.

United States Patent Anderson Mar. 14, 1972 [54] CARTON CLOSURE [72] Inventor: Clarence D. Anderson, 1615 Pech Road,

Apt, 7-A, Houston, Tex. 77055 [22] Filed: Jan. 26, 1970 211 Appl. No.: 5,798

US. CL ..229/44, 206/DlG. 6

Field of Search ..229/44 V; 206/DIG. 6

[56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,960,264 1 1/1960 Walter ..229/44 CB 2,015,625 lO/ 1935 Harrison ..206/DIG. 6

Primary Examiner-James B. Marbert Attorney-James A. Bargfrede [57] ABSTRACT A carton closure means is provided on a carton to allow easy, positive opening and closing of the carton.

2 Claims, 6 Drawing Figures PATENTEDMAR 14 I972 E Z0 32/ LI I 1F Fir/LU- I F LL75 CLARENCE D. ANDERSON INVENTOR.

4 TTOENE 7 CARTON CLOSURE BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field. of the Invention The present invention is directed generally to cartons and packaging and particularly to an improved carton characterized by resilient means coupled to a perforated portion of such carton whereby an opening is provided to allow positive and effective opening and closing of such carton.

2. Description of the Prior Art In recent years many new products, particularly in the food field, have appeared on the market. In the packaging of such new products, wide use has been made of cartons fabricated from cardboard or similar material. Because of the inherent and established methods of manufacturing cartons, no provision has been made for providing an easy or positively operating opening to allow access to the inside of such carton where a bag or other container stores the food. The present invention is directed to improving known carton structures.

Particularly, the present invention provides means for providing a quick-opening lid on cartons with such means also holding the lid in either a closed or open position. Also the present invention provides a method of manufacture of cartons so that such cartons can be conveniently shipped in a closed condition and then may be broken open along a perforated line by the user. The present invention further provides for perforations for forming the lid of the carton in such a manner to allow known manufacturing methods to be utilized in the manufacture of cartons which incorporate the present invention.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention provides a carton which has a perforated portion to which portion may be coupled resilient means so that when the carton is to be opened, the perforated portion may be broken or cut to provide a lid which may be either positively opened or positively closed by the resilient means. Existing manufacturing methods may be utilized in practicing the present invention and little modification is required to existing packaging machinery in order to incorporate the present invention.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING FIG. 1 is a perspective side view ofa carton showing the lid in a closed and in an open position in the preferred positioning of the resilient means of the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a top plan view of the carton of the present invention shown in FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a side elevational view if the carton showing alternate positions of the resilient means of the present invention;

FIG. 4 is an end elevational view of the carton shown in FIG. 3;

FIG. 5 is an end elevational view of the carton shown in FIG. 4 with the lid in a partially opened position; and

FIG. 6 is a side elevational view of the carton of the present invention showing an alternate form of positioning the resilient means inside of the carton during shipping of the carton and prior to opening such carton.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION Referring now to the drawing in detail, FIG. 1 is a perspective side view of a carton 10 showing a side 12 and end 14 and a top 16. Substantially half of the top 16 may be provided with a perforated portion 18 which may be cut when the carton 10 is opened to provide a lid 20 having a pivot line 22. During manufacture of the carton, a press or indentation line may be provided so that lid 20 may be opened and closed to provide positive hinge action along pivot line 22.

Suitable resilient means such as a rubber band or elastic band 24 may be positioned over the bottom 26 of the carton 10 at a point such as point 28 to allow the lid 20 to be either closed, as shown in the solid portion of the drawing, or opened as shown in the broken line portion of the drawing.

It will be appreciated that the carton 10 may have a flexible bag inside the carton 10 and when lid 20 is opened, access may be had to the closed top of the bag inside of the carton 10. The bag, after some of the contents of the bag have been removed, may be closed and the lid 20 may be closed on the carton 10 thereby preventing spillage and keeping foreign objects out of the bag because access to the bag in the canon 10 is not available.

FIG. 2 is a top plan view of the carton 10 showing lid 20 and resilient means 24.

It will be apparent from FIG. 2 that another side 30 may be provided substantially parallel to side 12 and coupled to top 16. End 32 is substantially parallel to end 14 whereby a substantially rectangular carton 10 well known in the art is provided.

The pivot line 22 allows lid 20 to be quickly and effectively opened and closed by the resilient means 24.

FIG. 3 is a side elevational view of the carton 10 showing possible alternative positioning of the resilient means to allow positive and effective opening and closing of the lid 20. The resilient means 24 may be positioned substantially one-third of the way from the bottom 26 at line 34, although any position may be utilized so long as the objective of the invention may be achieved. The resilient means may also be coupled at point 36, for example, on only one side 12 to allow positive and effective opening and closing of the lid 20. As explained previously, the resilient means 24 may be positioned at point 28 to allow opening and closing of the lid 20.

FIG. 4 is an end elevational view of the carton 10 shown in FIG. 3 with the resilient means 24 on both sides 12 and 30 of the carton l0 and along line 34 at end 14. Lid 20 is shown positioned on end 14 along edge 38 of the carton.

FIG. 5 is an end elevational view of the carton shown in FIG. 4 with lid 20 being in a partially open-position. Edge 38 of the end 14 is shown with opening 30 of the carton 10 to allow access to be gained in the carton 10 to a bag or other storage receptacle which may be provided in the carton 10. The resilient means 14 is shown along side 30 and side 12. It will be apparent from FIG. 5 that the lid 20 allows access to the area 40 of the carton 10.

FIG. 6 is a side elevational view of a carton 10 showing lid 20 with perforations 18. Perforations 18 may extend along side 12 and along the end of carton 10, as well as the other side of carton 10. The resilient means 24 may be positioned so that the upper portion of the resilient means extends through top 16 at point 42 by a slotted opening, for example, with the resilient means 24 being in the area immediately below to 16. When the carton 10 is ready to be opened, the perforations 18 are cut to form the lid 20. The resilient means 24 then may be pulled through holes which allow the portion 42 of the resilient means 24 to extend from the top of the carton and the resilient means then may be placed exteriorly of the carton 10 in a manner shown in FIG. 1 so that the resilient means are positioned on the bottom 26 of the carton 10. The lid 20 then may be opened or closed in the manner previously described. The method of positioning the resilient means as shown in FIG. 6 may be utilized to allow rough handling of the carton during shipment. When the carton is opened, the resilient means may be positioned exteriorly of the carton 10.

It will be appreciated that various improvements and modifications may be made to the invention as shown and described without departing from the spirit of the invention as defined by the following claims. Although such claims may be presented in indented format to facilitate reading and understanding thereof, such indented format is not to be construed as a structural or functional limitation of the elements or steps set forth in such claims.

1. An article of manufacture comprising a carton including a plurality of'planar members coupled to provide a chamber in said carton,

to said planar bottom to form a chamber, said plurality of planar members being perforated so that upon cutting of the perforations said top will be coupled in a hinged manner along said fixed edge of said planar top,

a flexible container positioned in said chamber, and

resilient means coupled to said planar top and positioned outside said carton. 

1. An article of manufacture comprising a carton including a plurality of planar members coupled to provide a chamber in said carton, an upper portion coupled in a perforated manner to at least some of said plurality of planar members to form a hinged lid for said carton, and resilient means coupled on the outside of said carton to said upper portion.
 2. A carton including a planar top having a fixed edge, a planar bottom, a plurality of planar members coupled to said planar top and to said planar bottom to form a chamber, said plurality of planar members being perforated so that upon cutting of the perforations said top will be coupled in a hinged manner along said fixed edge of said planar top, a flexible container positioned in said chamber, and resilient means coupled to said planar top and positioned outside said carton. 